Concrete form tie



Sept. 5, 1939. L. o. GATES CONCRETE FORM TIE Filed March 16, 1958 INVENTOR. LE. GATES.

L 5 l3 /6 BY LEE ORVIL ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES L ATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to ties for concrete wall forms or to ties for other concrete forms, and more especially to a tie rod gripping button to be used with steel tie rods to hold the forms and prevent their separation when they are poured full of concrete.

In making concrete walls, forms are first made which will, when poured full of concrete, make a wall of the thickness desired.

Since the concrete when poured, is in a semiliquid or fluid condition, it exerts pressure upon the wall forms, and hence they must be quite strongly constructed.

If the forms are not properly made, or are not properly tied together, the concrete may spread, weaken or break the forms and ruin the wall.

In such a case, the concrete in the wrecked form must be shoveled up and put into some other form before it hardens, or the concrete is not only lost but it is more difficult and more expensive to remove the hardened wreckage of the wall. For it must all be removed before new wall forms can be built. But even at best the wreck of a wall form is very expensive.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that forms are built with a tie rod construction of the greatest reliability.

Tie rod buttons, which are held in place on the rods by set screws, have been used, but this requires the use of wrenches to tighten the set screws and some means to hold the button against the reaction of the wrench, and all of this takes time, and time costs money. Also, if the set screws are tightened too much, they may bite into the rods enough to so weaken them that they may break when the tension is put upon the rods due to the poured concrete in the forms.

On the other hand, if the set screws are not tightened enough, the buttons tend to slide along the rods when the pressure of the poured concrete tends to separate the walls of the form, and this may result in a wrecked form and'a ruined wall.

It is the object of this invention, therefore, to provide a reliable means to combine with tie rods to prevent the separation of wall or other forms, when filled with fresh concrete.

A further object is to provide a tie rod button fixture for use on concrete wall forms, which may be installed with less loss of time than required for the set-screw type of button.

A further object is to provide a tie rod button fixture for use on concrete wall forms that will not slip along the rod when the tension is put upon it.

A further object is to provide a tie rod button fixture for use in concrete wall forms, which will not tend to cut the rod in two, when it is installed.

A further object is to provide a tie rod button fixture for use in concrete wall forms in which the tie rod will not be pulled in two as a result of the action of the button, when the tension is put upon it.

A further object is to provide a tie rod button fixture for use in concrete wall forms, which may be more quickly and easily removed than the set screw type of rod button.

A further object is to provide a tie rod button fixture for use in concrete wall forms, in which the tension exerted upon the tie rods will tend to increase the grip of the buttons upon the rods.

I accomplish all of the above stated objects by providing a button fixture composed of a button through which the rod may pass and in which the rod may be given a sharp bend by means of a tapered, hammer-driven pin, so set in the button that as the tension increases upon the rod, the pull of the rod will tend to roll the pin so that one of its edges will be forced with greater and greater pressure against the tie rod, forcing it with greater and greater force against teeth carried by the button and with greater and greater force maintaining the sharp bend of the rod in the button, and thus with an increasing grip upon the rod preventing it from sliding through the button when the tension on the rod is increased.

All of the above will be more clearly understood by reference to the drawing, in which- Figure l is a plan view looking down on a conventional wall form provided with tie rods equipped with my rod button fixtures, only two of such tie rods being shown.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view of Figure 1, looking in the direction of one of the rods and showing a portion of the form, the button, the end of the tie rod, and the tapered pin.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view looking down on Figure 1 and showing a portion of the vertical four by four timber, a portion of the tie rod, the button and the tapered pin, with the pin and rod shown in the positions they occupy before the full tension has been put on the tie rod, and before the pin has been completely driven into place.

Figure 4 shows a view similar to Figure 3 but showing in slightly exaggerated positions the tie rod and the pin, after the load has been put on the tie rod and the roll of the pin has taken place.

Figure 5 shows a section through the button.

Figure 6 shows a section through the button taken at right angles to the section shown in Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a. view of the pin.

Figure 8 is a view taken from an actual rod after its use in my button, but with the teeth marks slightly enlarged.

In Figure l, the planks l of the form are separated by the spacers 2, so that the form. will provide the desired wall thickness.

The planks l are backed up by the two by four timbers 3, and the two by fours are backed. up by the four by four timbers 4.

Any other proper plan or arrangement of the elements of the form may be used, so long as the pro-per wall thickness is provided, and suificient strength is provided in the form.

The location and spacing of the ties, of the two by fours and of the four by fours will depend upon the thickness of tie rods used and the height and thickness of the wall under construction, as well as upon the judgment of the man in charge of the construction.

In any case, the rods 5 are placed through the form after proper holes for the rods are provided, and the buttons 6 are then placed upon the ends of the rods 5.

On one end of each rod 5, the pin 1 is driven into place, tension is then put upon the other end of each rod, forcing the two walls of the form together against the spacers 2, and each pin 1 is then driven into place, so that the two Walls of the form are held securely in place against the ends of the spacers 2, so that the proper thickness of wall will be provided.

The position of the pins, the rods and button at this stage is illustrated in Figure 2.

The button 6 is provided with two intersecting apertures or passages, 8 and 9, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

The passage 8 is to receive the tie rod 5. On the outer side of the passage 9, the passage 8 is slightly tapered, while on the inner side of the passage 9 it is considerably enlarged, providing a shoulder l2. The passage 8 is provided with the rod-engaging teeth on both of the sides l". In other words, the surfaces which are common to both passages are provided with the shoulder l2 and the teeth ID. The walls 10 of the passage 9 having the teeth It), diverge as they progress toward the form end of the button 6. The wall joining the diverging walls 10' slants from each diverging wall toward the form end of the button 6 forming the slanting wall portions l I, II. The angle at the junctions of the diverging walls 10' and the slanting portions II, II, is greater than a right angle, and thus permits the roll of the tapered pin 1, as will be explained hereinafter.

When the tapered pin 1 is driven into the passage 9, between the rod and the adjacent diverging wall ID, the rod 5 will be bent about the shoulder l2, and the pin 1 since it is backed up by the adjacent diverging wall ID will take a position that is not quite parallel with the rod 5 before it was bent.

As therod 5 is bent by the tapered pin 1, it engages the teeth H1 in the passage 9, and also engages the shoulder l2.

This bending of the rod 5 thus causes it to be held by the teeth IO' and the shoulder l2, as well as by'thepin 1.

When the pin 1 is partly in place, the relative positions of the tie rod 5, the tapered pin 1, the shoulders I 2 and the button 6 are shown as in Figure 3, slight changes having been made for the sake of clearness.

As the wet concrete in the form tends to separate the form walls, tension is imposed upon the rods 5, and this tension tends to roll the pin 1 about its edge I, which contacts the button adjacent the junction of the divergent wall 15 with the slanting wall portion II. This rolling of the pin 1 is permitted by the divergent wall it, the slanting wall portion H, and the fact that the angle joining them is more than 90 degrees. That is, the angle joining these two walls is greater than the angle between the adjoining faces of the pin 1, so that rolling of the pin may take place.

As this rolling movement takes place, the edge 1" of the pin 1 swings about the edge 5' as a center, and in doing so forces the rod 5 over more firmly against the teeth In and increases the sharpness of the bend of the rod about the shoulder [2 of the button 6. In other words the tension on the rod 5 increases the grip of the button fixture upon the rod 5.

The position of the parts at this stage is shown inFigure 4. Figure 8 shows a fragment of a tie rod 5 after it has been subjected to 6500 pounds tension or endwise strain. The teeth indentations M are slightly enlarged for the sake of clearness.

The pin 1, when hammeredinto place, formed the slot l3 in the rod 5-, or nearly formed this slot, and formed or nearly formed the bend 15, the teeth indentations l4 and the indentation l6 where the rod contacts the shoulder l2.

When the pressure came upon the tie rod 5, the angle of the slot l3 increased, also perhaps the width of the slot slightly, the bend l5 was slightly increased, and the depth of the teeth indentations l4 and of the indentation Hi. In other; words the tension or pull on the tie rod 5 increased the grip of the button fixture upon the rod 5 and locked the rod 5 in, place all the more firmly.

After the concrete has set, a blow or two by a hammer on the small end of the tapered pin 1 will loosen it and it can be easily removed; after which the button 6 slips freely off the end of the rod 5.

One end of the rod 5 is then snipped olT just in front of the shoulder of the indentation 16, so that the rod 5 may be pulled through the form and through the concrete wall, generally by the use of a special jack used for that purpose. The tie rod may be used again in a higher and thinner portion of the wall, or in some other and thinner wall. The pins 1 and the bottoms 6 may also be used again.

It will thus be seen that the wedge action of the tapered pins 1, when hammered into place in the buttons 6, and which wedge action is greatly assisted by the rollingaction of, the pins 1, when'the tension comes on the tie rods 5, acts to bend the rods 5, grip them with the teeth Ill, and lock the buttons by the pins 7 and the shoulders l2, with the greatest certainty against movement along the rods 5.

The buttons 6 are set almost instantly-by two or threesolid blows from a hammer, and can be released just as quickly and easily.

What I call a button is actually composed of the button properjand the tapered pin or wedge; and though I prefer to call it simply a button,

it may perhaps more properly be called a button fixture, which means the button proper, the wedge and the tie rod acting together.

'- Having now described my invention, what'I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. Fixture means for fixing upon tie rods of concrete forms to thereby hold the forms in place when they are poured full of concrete, composed of a button member having two intersecting passages therethrough, one passage for the reception of a tie rod, the other passage having two diverging walls provided with teeth which meet a third wall whose angle with each diverging wall is greater than 90 degrees, and wedge means co-operating with said button member when driven into place, to bend said tie rod and into contact with said teeth, whereby tension on said tie rod will cause said wedge member to roll about the contact of one edge of said wedge means with one of said diverging walls adjacent its junction with said third wall, as a center and by the action of the diagonal edge of said Wedge means about said center increase the tendency to bend the tie rod and to maintain the contact of the tie rod with said teeth, and thus prevent movement of. said button member along said tie rod, whereby the grip on the tie rod will be increased by the tension on the tie rod.

2. A tie rod button fixture for fixing upon the tie rods of concrete forms, composed of a button member having a forward surface to contact said form, a tie rod and a tapered pin having diagonally opposite edges, said button member having a passage therethrough to receive a tie rod and also having a larger passage two of whose surfaces are opposite each other and provided with teeth adjacent the tie rod when in place, said larger passage intersecting the first named passage, the wall surface of the larger passage adjacent the form, slanting forward from each of the tooth surfaces at an acute angle to the rod passage, said larger passage adapted to receive a tapered pin upon one side of said pin to bend the tie rod against the teeth remote from said pin, whereby the roll of the pin about its forward edge remote from the rod will force its diagonally opposite edge against the rod to increase the pressure of the rod against said teeth as tension comes upon said rod, the section of the pin where it locks against said rod being substantially a square whose side is substantially equal to the diameter of the rod, whereby great pressure will be provided against the rod by the roll of the pin about the forward edge remote from the rod and adjacent the said form.

3. A tie rod button fixture for fixing upon the tie rods of concrete forms to hold the forms in place, composed of a button member and a tapered pin having diagonally opposite longitudinally extending edges adapted to co-operate with the tie rod, said button member having a tierod-receiving passage therethrough, and having a second passage intersecting the first passage and provided with a wall remote from the form, a wall adjacent the form, and two joining walls provided with teeth, the wall adjacent the form slanting from each of said toothed walls forward at an obtuse angle, whereby a tapered pin driven into the second passage at one side of the tie rod when it is in place in the button, will bend the tie rod against the wall of the second passage remote from the pin, and tension on the rod will tend to roll the tapered pin about the edge adjacent the said obtuse angle of said second passage, whereby the diagonally opposite edge of the pin will be forced against the rod by the increased tension on the rod and the resulting roll of the pin, about the edge resting in said obtuse angle.

4. A tie rod button fixture for fixing upon the tie rods of concrete forms to thereby hold the forms in place, composed of a button member and a co-operating tapered pin having diagonally opposite corners, the button member having a tie-rod-receiving passage therethrough and an intersecting tapered substantially square sectioned-pin-receiving passage, the wall surface of the last passage adjacent the form having, on each side of the tie rod, an obtuse angle joining said surface with two opposite surfaces extending away from the wall and each provided with a series of teeth whereby when the button and tie rod and form are assembled and the tapener pin is driven into place and has wedged the tie rod over against the series of teeth of one of said opposite toothed surfaces of the button, tension upon the tie rod will cause the pin to roll at the contact of its corner with one of said obtuse angles as a center and thereby force its diagonally opposite corner against the tie rod and the tie rod against said teeth to lock the rod against the teeth in proportion to the tension on said rod and the resulting roll of the pin about said corner.

5. A tie rod button for fixing upon the tie rods of concrete forms to thereby hold the forms in place, composed of a button member having intersecting passages therethrough, and a substantially square sectioned tapered pin having diagonally opposite corners, the opposite walls of one of said passages having obtuse angles with the wall adjacent the form, whereby, with a tie rod in one passage, the tapered pin may be driven into the other passage between the tie rod and the wall of the passage with one of its corners in one of said obtuse angles and thereby force the rod to bend and be forced against the adjacent wall, and whereby tension upon the tie rod will cause the pin to roll about its corner in one of said obtuse angles and by said roll force the diagonally opposite corner increasingly against said rod as said roll increases, to increase the grip on said rod.

6. A tie rod button fixture for fixing upon the tie rods of concrete forms to thereby hold the form in place, composed of a button member having intersecting passages therethrough for the reception of a tie rod and for the reception of a co-operating tapered pin respectively, said pin substantially square in cross section having longitudinally extending corners, said second passage having opposite toothed walls each having a series of teeth joined to the wall adjacent the form at obtuse angles, whereby when the tapered pin is driven into place in its passage and to one side of said tie rod, it will bend the tie rod and force it into contact with one of the series of the said teeth, and tension on said rod will cause the tapered pin to roll about its front corner remote from the rod and adjacent one of said obtuse angles as a center and force its diagonally opposite corner by radial movement about said center against the rod and force the rod increasingly against the said teeth as said roll of said tapered pin increases.

'7. Fixture means for fixing upon the tie rods ZIP of concrete form to thereby hold the forms in place when they are poured full of concrete, composed of a. button member having two intersecting passages therethrough, one passage for the reception of a tie rod, the other passage having two opposite walls each provided with a series of teeth, which two walls meet a third wall adjacent the form at obtuse angles and which are joined by a wall remote from the form, and a tapered substantially square sectioned pin having longitudinally extending corners for the second passage, whereby after the tapered pin is driven in place forcing the rod against said teeth, tension on the rod will cause the pin to roll about one of its corners adjacent one of said obtuse angles as a center, thereby forcing the diagonally opposite corner of said pin against the rod and forcing the rod against said teeth increasingly as the tension on the rod and the roll of the pin about said center increase.

8. Fixture means for fixing upon the tie rods of concrete forms to thereby hold the forms in place when they are poured full of concrete, composed of a button member having two intersecting passages therethrough, one passage for the'reception of a tie rod, the other passage for the reception of a tapered pin having longitudinally extending corners, and having opposite toothed surfaces each surface provided with a series of tie-rod-contacting teeth meeting a third surface adjacent the form and'forming therewith angles greater than 90 degrees, the tension on the rod, when the tapered pinand the rod are properly in place in the button, tending to roll the pin about one of its corners as a center, whereby the diagonally opposite corner of the pin will be forced by toggle action against the rod by said roll of the pin and the rod forced against said teeth increasingly as the tension on the rod increases.

LEE ORVILLE GATES. 

